Looked After Children
Sufficiency Plan and
Strategy
2017-2020
Improving the outcomes for our
Looked After Children and Care Leavers
1
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
To be an outstanding partner and provider of services to children, young people and families
Contents
Doncaster’s Vision for looked after children
3
Introduction
5
Who are we?
7
How we are accountable?
8
The right to a well-planned service
9
The right to family life
11
The right place to live
14
The right support
18
The right to a voice
22
The right to a positive transition
24
Delivering monitoring and reviewing our action plan 26
Appendix 1 Analysis of need
27
Appendix 2 LAC Action plan
60
2
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Doncaster’s Vision for Looked after Children
Foreword
Paul Moffatt – Chief Executive Officer; Doncaster Children’s Services
Trust
_____________________
Our vision for the children we look after is simple.
We want everything the best parents want for their children.
We want our children and young people to be happy and healthy, both physically and
emotionally, to be safe and protected from harm and exploitation, and to be supported
each step of the way to adult life.
We are ambitious for our children. We want them to achieve their potential, especially at
school, to make the most of the learning opportunities they are offered and to participate
in the decisions affecting their care and their lives. This includes making the transition to
adulthood with continuity of support, access to good jobs and higher education, while
living in good housing and being financially secure.
We want our Looked after Children and Young People to work with us, along with their
parents and carers, in shaping how we manage and organise the planning, resources
and services that support and care for them.
We are proud of our children and young people and take every opportunity to celebrate
their achievements.
Our strategy invites us to work together with common purpose, putting the care of our
Looked After Children at the heart of everything we do
Principles
Our work is informed by a series of principles or ‘rights’
•
•
•
•
The right to a well-planned service with strong leadership and governance
The right to family life
The right place to live
The right support
3
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
•
•
The right to a voice
The right to a positive transition
The strategy and sufficiency plan has been developed in response to these core
principles. Within each principle, consideration is given to
•
•
•
•
•
•
What this says about our vision
How these fundamental rights link to our underpinning principles
What we know about the national picture and about our service
What we have already done
What we plan to do
Links to specific actions contained within the action plan
Although each 'right' is considered in turn, all sections are co-dependent. For example
success in ensuring all our children have the right place to live will depend on safely
reducing the numbers of children looked after. Well planned services are dependent on
children having the right to a voice.
Paul Moffat
Chief Executive
4
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Introduction
______________________________
Local Authorities are required to take steps to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable,
sufficient accommodation for children in care within their local area. In 2010, the
Statutory Guidance for the Sufficiency Duty was issued. This guidance is explicit in
placing a duty on Local Authorities to act strategically to address gaps in provision by
ensuring that they include, in relevant commissioning strategies, their plans for meeting
the sufficiency duty.
The Children Act 2008 defines Sufficiency as “a whole system approach which delivers
early intervention and preventative work to help support children and their families where
possible, as well as providing better services for children if they do become looked after.
For those who are looked after, Local Authorities and their Children’s Trust partners
should seek to secure a number of providers and a range of services, with the aim of
meeting the wide-ranging needs of looked after children and young people within their
local area.” However, the scope is not restricted to just making good quality placements;
the intention is to co-ordinate the range of activity across Children’s Services, including a
clear focus on supporting families to stay together, wherever it is safe to do so, thus
minimising the need for children to come into care, or supporting their timely return to
their families
This is the second Looked after Children’s Sufficiency Plan and Strategy to be developed
by Doncaster Children’s Services Trust Ltd. It provides a picture of services for Children
in Care (CIC) in the borough, based on intelligence held by the Trust and available
through national datasets.
The Plan contains an assessment of needs which provides an illuminating insight into
how we care for Children in Care and enables the Trust to effectively prioritise and plan
for developments that can be expected to improve outcomes as well as secure better
value for money. The plan recognises the volatility of the Children in Care cohort, and
that provision needs to be both scalable and flexible enough to react to this. However, it
does provide intelligence to allow the Trust to ensure it meets the diverse needs of the
changing Children in Care population.
The plan also recognises that further work can be done to better understand the needs of
Children in Care in Doncaster, either through improved feedback systems or improving
recording procedures on our electronic social care record. This will be implemented for
future publications of this Plan.
This plan is used to inform the CIC Strategy which sets out how we will develop services
for CIC.
A secure and stable home life is fundamental to the successful development of all
children and for children in care a successful placement is the most important factor in
5
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
enabling them to flourish. Frequent moves between care placements can have a drastic
effect on the ability of children to succeed both in education and in other areas of their
lives.
This strategy sets out how Doncaster Children’s Services Trust (the Trust) understands
the needs of Looked After Children (LAC) and Care Leavers as well as our
understanding of the provision available to them. The strategy also sets out our plan to
improve outcomes for our looked after children.
As with any document, this strategy will only be of benefit if it is owned by key decision
makers and used to inform service planning and development. Consequently, the MultiAgency Looked After Partnership (MALAP) will be responsible for the oversight and
updating of the Sufficiency Plan and CIC Strategy. The MALAP will ensure that these
remain living documents that are regularly revised and refined as our knowledge and
understanding of the needs of children in care in Doncaster develop.
My carers help me to get
through stuff. They help me
at home and school, I’m
proud of them (aged 13)
My carers keep me and my
baby safe, warm and happy.
So I can go off to college ad
have a good future for me
and my baby (aged 18)
6
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Who are we?
______________________________
Our vision places children at the centre of everything we do. We recognise other people
are important to our children and will work in partnership to ensure they have the best
possible opportunities in life.
Elected
Members
Doncaster
Metropolitan
Borough
Council
Doncaster
Children’s
Services Trust
The Local
Community
LOOKED
AFTER
CHILDREN
Police
Schools
And early
years provision
Health Service
7
Carers
Parents and
Family
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Who are we accountable?
______________________________
Children in care
Secretary of State
Trust Board
Accountable to the
Secretary of State

Accountable through
direction




Support and challenge
Regular meetings with
young advisors
Children in care
council
Care leavers council
Young advisors
All CiC
Modern Apprentices
Regulatory Bodies
MALAP
Multi-agency accountability
for delivery of services.
Support and challenge
Outcomes for children in care
through service delivery
Doncaster Children’s
Services Trust
Ofsted and other bodies
Independent registration
or provider services
Children consulted in
inspection
Doncaster MBC
Retains responsibility for
delivery of children’s services
through delegation of
function to DCST
Corporate Parenting Board
Elected member accountability,
support and challenge
Modern apprentices sit on board
Key Principles




8
All accountable bodies are challenged to maximise outcomes for all the children in our
care
The child’s voice is embedded in all bodies and informs decision making
All bodies work in partnership to ensure available resources are used efficiently and
effectively
All bodies are open to support and challenge to ensure continuous improvement
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
The right to a well-planned service with strong
leadership and governance
______________________________
Vision
Our children have the right to the best possible nurturing care which reflects their unique
identity, meets all their needs and helps them to achieve their potential. This can only be
achieved through effective multi-agency service planning and service development
through listening to our children.
How this links to our principles

The Children's Trust is in a unique position: providing a full social work service for
children and no other competing service. Children, young people and their families
are therefore at the centre of everything we do

Responsibilities for service delivery are delegated from Doncaster MBC. The
council and Elected Members continue to have corporate parenting responsibility
to satisfy themselves that our children have the best possible care.

The voice of the child will be heard at every point as will the voice of their parents
and family members

We can only achieve our aims through engaging with and working creatively with
all partners. These include statutory service provider but also voluntary sector
providers local communities, faith groups and other interest groups

Our staff are our greatest resource and will be supported to provide the best
possible service

Our services will run efficiently and effectively and provide Value for Money.
What we know
NCB have worked closely with the DfE to produce best practice guidance into effective
Corporate Parenting. Their guidance emphasises robust Corporate Parenting with a clear
lead from Elected Members; a strong partnership approach; access to good quality data
and creative means of ensuring the voice of the child is at the centre.
As the Doncaster Children's service trust continues to develop, corporate governance
and service planning requires continuous partnership working relationships and on-going
review.
9
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Ofsted Judgements emphasise the importance of strong and robust leadership and
management with clear duties for the Responsible Individual and Registered Manager.
Recent inspections and monitoring visits have indicated a high level of satisfaction with
leadership from the Trust. Some areas for improvement, notably Corporate Parenting
has been identified and actions are in place to address these
What we have done so far

Developed good partnership links at operational and strategic level

Re-designed and developed the Corporate Parenting Board

Developed a Multi-Agency Looked after Partnership who have responsibility for
delivery against the plan

Developed a Virtual School Governing Body with representation from DMBC, the
Trust and education partners

Established robust Executive Board and Sub group structure

Placed the child at the heart of every Executive Board meeting - with thematic
contributions from children, young people and young adults

Developed the role of young ‘personal advisor’ to inform the Chief Executive

Re-established the Children in Care Council

Appointed two Care Leaver Modern Apprentices in participation support roles.
What we plan to do
10

Seek Executive Board approval for the sufficiency strategy and ensure actions are
undertaken

Use the Multi-Agency Looked after Partnership (MALAP) to drive forward actions
identified in the strategy

Establish a robust reporting framework to both the Executive Board and Corporate
Parenting Board

Further develop and embed the Elected Member offer

Further develop the Children in Care Council, young children in care group and
care leavers group

Further develop the Liquidlogic electronic record to reflect the requirements of the
provider service and ensure good quality data
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
The right to family life
______________________________
Vision
All children have a right to a family life. and wherever possible they will be supported to
live with their parents or family. Where this is not possible they will live with nurturing and
supportive families. If they cannot live in a family home they will live in a children's home
which replicates family life as closely as possible . Every effort will be made to either
safely return children to their families or ensure they have a permanent alternative family
as soon as possible.
How this links to our principles

Children should be supported to live with their parents and in their own communities
wherever it is safe to do so

Intensive support should be offered to families of children at the edge of care

Where a child cannot remain with their family, meaningful contact with their parents,
siblings and other important people in their life should be carefully considered. The
child's needs and welfare should be at the centre of all contact agreements

If it is consistent with the child’s welfare a placement with family or friends will be the
preferred option for children who become looked after.

If a friend or family member is being considered for a placement they will be able to
access good quality guidance and support, including exploration of the most
appropriate means of securing their child's future which may be through a variety of
means including; connected person fostering; alternative order such a special
guardianship (SGO) or a private arrangement.

All children should have a right to a family life and under most circumstances a
family placement should be sought, either with in house or independent fostering
agency placement. A few children cannot live within a family environment usually for
a complex mix of factors including the child's experience of family life and
assessments of risk. In these circumstances care within a nurturing children's home
may be the most appropriate option. However the right to family life must remain
and options to place within a family or to have meaningful contact with family should
be considered as part of the care planning process.

Children’s homes will be small and replicate family life as far as possible.
11
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020

Where children are not expected to return home planning for a permanent
placement will happen in a timely fashion. The preferred permanent option for young
children will be adoption and for others Child Arrangement Orders, Special
Guardianship Orders and long term fostering will be considered.
My social worker will do
anything for me..
Cromwell were great; they
helped me to get on better
with my grandma and stay
at home.
What we know
The Looked after Children population has fluctuated somewhat over the past twelve
months, but remains on average at roughly 500 children. There is a definite upward trend
as evidenced in Chart 1 total CIC
The rate of CIC runs parallel with our statistical neighbours (rate 74 per 10.000
population) over the past year but remains significantly above the England average of 60.
Since January 2015, the direction of travel has been steadily upwards.
This indicator will be carefully monitored and opportunities will be sought to reduce the
length of time children spend in care.
What we have done so far

Whilst we have safely maintained the looked after children population at current rates
through improved case planning and robust challenge, we have also improved our
identification of children who cannot safely remain with their family.

Improved performance in placing children for adoption year on year. Although overall
numbers have risen timeliness continues to require monitoring as we continue to
strive to place harder to place children.

Developed an intensive support service for families of children on the edge of care

Increased the number of Special Guardianship Orders which provide a legal
framework for safe care of children by family members
12
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020

Developed a pilot project synthesising ‘Mockingbird’ fostering principles with learning
from ‘No wrong door’ to provide complete integration between fostering and
residential services.
What we plan to do
Safely reduce the numbers of children, looked after from 517 to 470 (below Statutory
Neighbour averages of 494) by April 2017 through:

Work with colleagues in Doncaster MBC to provide effective early intervention.

Migration of some early intervention services to the Trust

Embed the work of the edge of care service.

Improve CIN, CP and Care Planning in order to ensure children are safe in families
and where they need to become looked after, they have a clear and positive plan.

Further develop the integrated fostering and edge of care resource to provide an
economical, positive and flexible resource with family at the centre

Outcomes for teenagers who come into care as a result of being beyond the control
of their parents are poor. We will therefore work more intensively with families to
ensure more teenagers are supported to remain at home.

Further develop and embed the Growing Futures project to support families subject to
domestic violence to make significant changes in their lives. This will reduce the
numbers of children who have to come into care as a result of domestic violence.

Review work on reunification of families and explore specific models of family
assessment and support.

Host the Regional Adoption Agency to provide high quality and efficient adoption
services for all children in South Yorkshire
13
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
The right place to live
______________________________
The Vision
We want all our children and young people to live in good placements where they feel
safe and supported and can remain there for as long as they need to. They receive
information about their placement in advance and are listened to if they have concerns
about it at any time. The placement feels like home and provides them with a
positive experience of family life or residential care.
How this links to our Principles

Placement matching will consider closely all the needs of the child.

Wherever possible siblings will be placed together unless a sibling together or apart
assessment determines it is not in their interests.

If a placement within the child’s family or friends is not available or suitable an inhouse fostering placement will be considered.

Children under 12 will not usually be placed in residential homes.

All purchased placements must be assessed as at least Good by Ofsted.

All in house children's homes, fostering and adoption services will be supported to
remain Good and to work towards Outstanding.

Unless there are compelling reasons for a child to move away from their community,
it is expected that all placements will be close enough to the child’s community to
enable them to remain at their school and involved in their networks.

Unless there are compelling reasons to place outside Doncaster it is expected that
all placements will be within 20 miles of the child’s home.
My carers are stars
because they’re funny
take care of me. They
make me feel loved.
14
I went abseiling with my
children’s home. It was
great!
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
What we know
In common with other areas, the majority of looked after children in Doncaster are in a
foster placement (69%). The England and statistical neighbour average in March 2015
was 74%
Although the percentage of children in foster care in Doncaster is only slightly lower than
the England average we should aspire to place all children within a family wherever
possible.
Just over half of all foster placements are made with foster carers who work for the Trust.
This is a contrast with national data (2013) showing that 69 per cent of children in foster
care were living in local authority placements, this has now dropped to 56% in 2015 with
the Yorkshire and Humber percentage at 63%. The three rural Local Authorities in
Yorkshire and Humber have a high rate of in-house placement and nationally, four local
authorities placed all of their children in fostering through local authority-run services:
Leicester, Torbay, Walsall and Windsor and Maidenhead. Conversely, twenty-four local
authorities placed more than 50% of their children through Independent Fostering
Services.
This emphasises the need for the Trust to recruit and retain more foster carers in order to
avoid an overreliance on external IFAs.
Performance in terms of placement stability has improved in 2016 from 50.6 in 2015 to
70.9% in 2016 and we are now in line with regional, national and statistical neighbour
averages.
Similarly, the number of children with three or more placements in a year has been
reducing significantly in recent years to a current average of 9%. Current statistical data
evidences the Trust is performing slightly better than national (10%) and statistical
neighbour (9.3%) comparators.
In common with other areas, the majority of Children in Care in Doncaster are in a foster
placement (69%). However, Doncaster makes proportionately less use of fostering than
the England and Statistical Neighbour average of 74%
Although significant improvements may be evidenced, more work needs to be done to
better understand when and why a few children have numerous placement moves.
The majority of children placed with IFA carers are aged 10 to 15 years. An increasing
percentage have been placed in house, however, this is an age group that we are
currently less able to place with in house carers.
If we are to reduce our reliance on IFAs we need to successfully recruit more in-house
carers who want to work with the cohort.
15
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Our fostering, adoption and children’s homes are currently rated as good or outstanding.
This is a significant improvement since the development of the Trust and reflects
focussed work in all provider services. We need to retain our status as ‘Good’ and aspire
to ‘Outstanding’ in all areas.
What we have done so far

Registered Independent Fostering Agency (IFA):Voluntary Adoption Agency
(VAA) and 5 private Children’s homes.

Reviewed all newly registered services against Ofsted grade descriptors; achieved
‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding and improved outcomes for children as a result.

Transitioned ‘Oaklands’ respite and shared care home for children with a disability
or complex health to the Trust. Oaklands now also has a rating of ‘Good’.

Improved the training offer for foster carers, adopters and staff.

Increased the number of adopters approved and children matched year on year
over 4 years.

Developed placements service who manage all referrals and ensure good quality
matches with value for money.

Developed a resource panel to ensure appropriate senior management oversight
of placements.

Developed a recruitment campaign focussing on foster carers for teenagers and
sibling groups.

Adopted a progression scheme for foster carers to ensure we are able to attract
and retain the most skilled foster carers.

Completed a review of Children’s Homes provision.

Trained all children’s homes staff in Restorative Practice and Therapeutic Crisis
Intervention.
What we plan to do
16

Invest in the in-house fostering service in order to ensure 75% of all children can
be placed with in house foster carers

Engage with the local IFA market in order to increase local sufficiency in fostering
placements and reduce dependency on residential placements.
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
17

Continue to focus on increasing in house provision of placements for teenagers
and sibling groups.

Improve placement stability through improvements to the quality of care and
resilience of foster carers as well as developing better availability of specialist
support for children who require additional help to recover from early life
experiences. This is detailed in individual service action plans.

Improve and expand the current children’s homes estate through investment in the
properties.

Improve the quality of care in our children’s homes through investment in training
and support to our staff.

Increase the number of in-house beds in children’s homes in Doncaster from the
current offer of 8 beds plus emergency and respite beds to 20 beds plus
emergency and respite beds.

Increase sufficiency of residential placements in the local area through block
commissioning private sector provision

Review capacity and needs annually. Scope the development of a specialist
children’s home with education.
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
The right support
______________________________
Vision
All children need support from a range of adults, from teachers to healthcare
professionals. Our children have often had a poor start in life and may need additional
support to live happy lives and achieve their potential. We will provide all our children
with good quality wrap around care and provide excellent support to the people who care
for them on a daily basis.
Many of our children have highly complex needs and behaviours and require individual
wrap around support from a number of agencies in order for them to reach their potential.
We will provide care which meets each child’s unique individual strengths and needs.
Principles

The biggest indicator for good outcomes for looked after children is that of a good
quality relationship with care givers and their social worker. We will ensure all
children have positive relationships with those people at the centre of their care.

All looked after children will have the best care to meet all of their needs. This will be
underpinned through good quality timely care plans and placement plans. Personal
education and health care plans will inform the care planning process.

All plans and reviews of the plans will be made with the child wherever possible. The
child will be consulted at all points and their views taken into account. Looked after
children have often had a poor start in life and will need additional support to ensure
they have optimum health, both physical and emotional. Similarly they may need
additional support to achieve their educational potential.

All agencies will work together to ensure our children have the best possible
support.
What we know
Education
In 2016 there was an increase in fixed term exclusions of children in primary school from
3.7% in 2015 to 9%. There has also been a permanent exclusion of a child in an out of
authority primary school, the first in five years.
Overall absence in 2016 was unchanged from 2015 with just 16% of children in care
achieving 100%
18
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
15% of children in care are classed as having persistent absence (missing over 15% of
lessons in a year)
In 2016 Children in Care in KS2 and KS4 did not reach either Fisher Family Trust or
comparator expectations. Only 4% achieved 5A* to C including English and Maths.
Absolute numbers are low (28 children) and therefore subject to high fluctuation
Health
Rates of completion of health, dental and immunisation checks improved in 2016 and are
now above national averages.
Initial Health Needs Assessments have not met timescales of 20 working days of
entering care. Referral pathways have been poor and the capacity of the Paediatric
service has not been sufficient to meet demand due to a national shortage of
paediatricians.
In 2016 the average SDQ score was 14.9 and 45% of children had a score of over 17
(cause of concern) this is higher than the last recorded statutory neighbour average of
38%.
Other issues
5% of children in care have a conviction, final warning or reprimand in year as opposed
to the national average of 4%
In 2015/16, The YOS set a target of reducing the numbers of children going to custody to
0.42 per 1,000 of the 10 to 17 population. The overall performance rate was )0.40 per
1,000
In 2015/16 159 children went missing from care with 328 separate missing episodes.
This was a considerable reduction on missing episodes in the previous year. In 2014/15,
260 children went missing with 794 missing episodes.
Approximately 30% of missing episodes resulted in a return interview.
The Missing from home return interview service was until recently provided by DMBC.
Provision of an independently managed service may assist children to speak out about
any concerns that have about their placement, however separation of the service from
the Trust has led to difficulty in promoting and quality assuring the service. The service
has therefore been re-developed as an in-house service using children’s advocates. The
advocates sit within the safeguarding and standards service and therefore retain their
independence from direct service provision.
19
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
What we have done

Developed a Multi-agency Looked after Partnership (MALAP) This will ensure
services work closely together and are driven towards improvement

Ensure through the MALAP that education, health and Looked after children
strategies are aligned

A Virtual School Governing Body has been established and reports to MALAP

A small but pro-active Looked after Children’s education team provides support to
children and young people and liaises with the SEN service and schools to ensure
our children receive education support

The Looked after Children’s Health service engages well with children, young
people foster carers and staff

Both services provide training for foster carers and staff

The CAMHS service has been enhanced through secondment of a social worker
who provides support advice and a pathway into the service

The Children’s disability service has transferred to the Trust to ensure the service
benefits from supervision and support within a social work informed framework
What we plan to do

Improve timeliness of health needs assessments

Improve usage of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ’s)

Use strategic partnerships to improve the transition to adult services for those young
people who will need care and support in adult life

Improve care planning

Develop specialist foster care positions to provide improved direct support for
children with mental health issues and offer training and support for other foster
carers

Improve access to specialist assessment and support through:

Working with the regional Adoption Consortium to develop an approved list of
providers of therapeutic support for adoptions.
20
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020

21
Consider developing a local or South Yorkshire wide framework of providers of
specialist assessment and therapeutic support to be available to support any
Doncaster looked after children, children in need or families.
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
The right to a voice
______________________________
Vision
Children are at the centre of everything we do. All children are supported to have an
active voice in decisions made about their lives. All decisions made about the way in
which we run our service is informed by the views of our children. We are proud of our
children, young people and young adults and celebrate their achievements.
Principles

All children have the right to be listened to and their views respected. They must
be supported to fully understand and engage with the plans made in respect of
their life.

Children will have access to a range of individuals who are able to support them in
being heard these may include: Independent visitors; advocates and participation
workers.

All plans and reviews of the plans will be made with the child wherever possible.
The child will be consulted at all points and their views taken into account. Good
parenting sometimes requires adults to make decisions which the child does not
agree with. These decisions will be clearly explained and the child’s views noted.

Children will also have a voice in decisions that shape the full service. Creative
means of engaging all children in service development will be developed.
What we know

Ofsted inspection of provider services indicate a strength in children’s participation

Inspection of Corporate Parenting indicated areas for further improvement

Our young people’s voice has informed service delivery
What we have done
22

Developed the ‘voice’ Participation Strategy, the Voice group includes our modern
apprentices and each service area (including back office teams) now has a ‘voice’
champion

Appointed Advocates/participation workers. The workers are regular visitors to the
children’s homes and attend the weekly fostering youth club.

Appointed 2 care leaver Modern Apprentices in participation.
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020

Developed the role of Young Advisor to the Chief Executive

Re-developed the Children in Care Council, this is now an active group with about
14 regular attenders aged between 11 and 20.

Supported children in care council members to grow in confidence. Members now
regularly speak at conferences and events, their direct voice is inspirational.
What we plan to do
23

Continue to develop participation as detailed within the ‘Voice’ strategy

Improve visibility of the voice of children in their own care planning processes
through positive and creative engagement

Further promote Mind Of My Own (MOMO) to provide easier and more effective
ways for children and young people to have a voice.
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
The right to a positive transition
______________________________
Vision
Young adults on average finally leave their family home aged 27 and leave for positive
reasons. We will provide support for all our children and young people to learn the
necessary skills to be positive and productive adults. We will help them to achieve in
education and employment and ensure they have a good place to live with the support
they need
Principles

Children will be encouraged and supported to remain in our care until they are ready
to leave.

Care leavers will live in suitable accommodation with appropriate support. A range
of placement options will be commissioned to support placement choice.

Care leavers will be encouraged and supported to continue to achieve, whether that
is through formal education, training or in work.

Care leavers will be provided with sufficient financial advice guidance and support to
live independently.

Often young people learn through trial and error. Where our care leavers have made
negative choices they will continue to be supported and given further opportunities
to succeed.
What we know
The Trust has improved contact rates with care leavers and at March 2016 73.4% care
leavers aged between 19 to 21 are evidenced to be in suitable accommodation. The
return remains below England and statistical neighbour comparators, however since
focussed work internal data shows that 91% of care leavers are in suitable
accommodation.
In 2016: 36% Care Leavers aged 19-21 were EET, against a national performance of
49%
24
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
What we have done

Improved completion rate and quality of Pathway plans

Restructure to 16 plus service to ensure we improve planning for transition

Children’s disability service brought into the Trust, where transitions are not made
into adult services, this assists in planning for complex transition into adulthood

Improved our ability to keep in touch; only 2 young adults are now not in contact and
we continue to reach out to them

Improved suitable accommodation rates for older young adults

Improved EET rates

Launched ‘Keys to my future’ in collaboration with St Leger Housing, to support care
leavers to provide all care leavers with the skills to live independently
What we plan to do
25

Launch social enterprise company run by care leavers who have experienced
living alone and learned the skills; to provide floating support for younger care
leavers

Continue to work in partnership with the Virtual School and other providers to
improve EET rates further

Develop supported housing options for care leavers in cooperation with St Leger
Housing and other providers
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Delivering, Monitoring and Reviewing Our Action Plan
_____________________________
A detailed annual action plan has been developed and agreed across all agencies to
support delivery of the priorities set out in this strategy.
The action plan addresses the priority areas as identified within the Sufficiency Plan,
identifying a key lead and timeframe for the completion of each action. Many of the
actions identified are subject to detailed specific plans and are monitored and evaluated
within other forums. Where this is the case the detailed plans are referenced and links
made to available evidence.
This action plan specifies a planned outcome from each action described and identifies a
related performance measure with national benchmark information where available.
The action plan includes the means by which we will capture the views
of the widest possible group of Looked after Children across Doncaster and in out of area
placements.
Progress against this action plan will be monitored quarterly by the Multi Agency Looked
after Children’s Partnership. The Chair of the partnership will, in turn, provide a
regular briefing to the Children’s Trust Board.
The Corporate Parenting Board will meet regularly with the Children in Care Council to
discuss the action plan and to identify any gaps in progress. Two members of the
Children in Care Council sit on the Corporate Parenting Board to ensure their voice is
directly represented
A schedule for the monitoring and review of the action plan to support the delivery of this
strategy will be agreed with the Corporate Parenting Board and Children’s Trust Board
on an annual basis.
The action plan is intended to be a highly operational ‘live’ plan, subject to constant
scrutiny, review and evaluation and the overall strategy will be reviewed on an annual
basis.
26
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Appendix 1: Children in Care (CIC) Data Trends and
analysis of needs
_____________________________
Number of Young People in Care – long term and local trends 2015/16
Child In Care Population Rate per 10,000
80
75
70
Doncaster
65
Yorkshire and Humber
60
Statistical Neighbours
England
55
50
2012
Apr-15
484
1
May-15
484
2013
2014
2016
Table 1 - Children in Care at month end - 12 month trend
Jun-15 Jul-15 Aug-15 Sep-15 Oct-15 Nov-15 Dec-15
477
483
488
488
492
493
489
SSDA 903 Performance Indicator Check 2015-16 page 1
27
2015
Jan-16
489
Feb-16
496
Mar-16
4871
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Commentary on Table and Chart 1
The CIC population has fluctuated somewhat over the past twelve months, but there is a
definite upward trend. The average CIC population throughout the period is 446. The
upward trend since January 2015 has continued and the number of children becoming
CIC has increased by 7 (480 – 487) from March 2015 to March 2016. The upward trend
may continue in subsequent months as more children may become CIC. However the
confidence for this prediction is not yet high because of the past fluctuations shown in
this population.
On average 6% of children in care have an identified disability or complex health need
28
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Chart 2 - Number of CIC (rate per 10,000 population)
80.0
74.3
75.0
74.3
74.1
74.9
74.9
75.5
73.2
75.7
76.1
75.0
74.0
74.8
70.0
Doncaster
65.0
Stat Neighbours
60.0
England
55.0
50.0
Commentary on Chart 2
The rate2 of CIC almost runs parallel with our statistical neighbours (rate 74 per 10,000 pop)
over the past year but still remains significantly above the England average of 60. Since
January 2015, our rate has risen only slightly whereas the rate for our statistical neighbours
has risen consistently since 2012Whilst it is presently too early to know if this represents a
significant change, it does show the unstable nature of the CIC population and the need to
regularly review progress.
Gender of Young People in Care
3
2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16
258
274
266
254
53%
55%
53%
53%
229
224
234
226
47%
45%
47%
47%
487
496
500
480
Male
% Male
Female
% Female
Total
2
3
SSDA 903 Performance Indicator Check 2015-16 page 1
SSDA 903 2015-16
29
Commentary on Gender ratios
The average gender split of CIC in the last
financial year was 47% female and 53%
male. This means that we need
approximately 30 more places for boys /
young men than for girls / young women.
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Children Placed by Age and Placement Type (March 2016)
Age Band
Under 1
Placement Type
1-4
5-9
10 - 15
16+
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Foster Care
8
6
13
15
52
38
83
81
21
22
Residential
2
1
0
0
1
2
20
12
28
17
0
0
3
4
7
5
4
7
3
1
0
0
3
5
3
4
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Foster care with
relative or friend
Placed for Adoption
Placed with Parents
Secure/YOI
Commentary on Children Placed by Age and Placement Type
The chart above shows that the majority of children placed in Foster care are males with the
highest proportion being in the age group of 5 to 15. 41% compared to 35% of females.
The Trust also places a higher proportion of males into Residential Care 57% compared to
34% of females. The majority of these residential placements are for children aged 10 and
over.
Children under 1 in residential care are in parent and baby homes.
30
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Age, Ethnicity and Placement Type of Young People in Care
Chart 3 - Age, Gender and Placement Type
120
100
80
Secure/YOI
60
Placed with Parents
40
Placed for Adoption
20
Foster care with
relative or friend
Residential
0
Male
Female
Under 1
Male
Female
1-4
Male
Female
5-9
Male
Female
10 - 15
Male
Female
16+
Foster Care
Age Band
Commentary on Chart 3
62% of CIC are aged 10 or older with the largest cohort being young people aged 10 – 15
(43%).4
Table 3 - Ethnicity
Ethnicity of Looked after children–
March 2016
White British
Any other White background
Traveller of Irish Heritage
Gypsy / Roma
White and Black Caribbean
White and Black African
White and Asian
Any other mixed background
Indian
Pakistani
African
Any other ethnic group
Information not yet obtained
4
SSDA 903 2015-16
31
Number
442
9
2
2
8
5
1
5
2
1
3
4
3
32
Age, Ethnicity and Placement Type of Care Leavers
Bangladeshi
Caribbean
Irish
Any Other Black Background
Chinese
Any Other Asian Background
Any Other Ethnic Group
African
Pakistani
Indian
Any other Mixed Background
White and Asian
White and Black African
White and Black Caribbean
Gypsy/Roma
Traveller or Irish Heritage
Any other White Background
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Chart 5 - Demographics of school age children, CIN and CIC
6%
5%
School
Population
4%
CIN
3%
CIC
2%
1%
0%
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Commentary on Table 3 and Chart 5 and 6
Although Table 3 only provides a snapshot, the ethnic mix of the looked after population in
Doncaster is relatively stable. The overwhelming majority of CIC are White British. Small
numbers of children from BME backgrounds means that additional care must be taken to
ensure that their needs are met and that they are not further disadvantaged by their ethnic
background. 5
Chart 5 shows that the demographics of the CIN and CIC population are mostly
representative of the overall population however those from White and Black Caribbean
backgrounds appear to be over represented in the CIC population. It is also possible that
children from Asian and Any Other White backgrounds are not being identified by the
social care system and are consequently under-represented in both CIN and CIC
populations. 6
These possible conclusions should be considered cautiously since the total numbers are
low and large percentage swings are therefore possible with small changes in actual
numbers.
Chart 6 shows that the demographics of the Trust’s Care Leavers. The majority of Care
Leavers are White British 86%.
It is anticipated that there may be more unaccompanied asylum seeking children arriving in
Doncaster in the next year and the Trust and partners will need to plan carefully to meet
their needs.
5
6
SSDA 903 2015-16
SFR School Pupils and their Characteristics Jan 2016 Tables 9a, 9b and 9c
33
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Length of Time in Care
2014/15
months
2015/16
months
34
Apr
31.3
May
30.7
Jun
31.4
Jul
31.8
Aug
32.7
Sep
33.3
Oct
33.9
Nov
34.3
Dec
35.6
Jan
36.4
Feb
35.6
Mar
35.3
35.8
36.1
36.7
36.5
36.1
36.3
36.8
37.1
36.8
37.4
36.9
37.7
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Commentary on Table 4 and Chart 7 & 8
There has been a steady rise in the average length of time in care during the past year.7
This increase in duration of care has been accompanied by an increase in the total numbers
of children who are in care. Ideally we would like to see this increase accompanied by a
reduction in numbers. As the Trust, through its Edge of Care service, becomes better at
supporting families to provide good, safe care for children, the care population becomes
increasingly those children with the most complex and intractable needs. These children are
less likely to be able to safely leave care and consequently the average duration of care can
be expected to rise.
This indicator will be carefully monitored and opportunities to reduce the length of time
children spend in care will be sought.
7
Internal Report Children In Care with Placement Details
35
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Care Joiners and Leavers
Commentary
The number of children entering care has mostly reduced or stayed static across all age
bands between 13/14 and 15/16. However there is one notable exception. The number of
young people aged 16 entering care has more than doubled from 9 in 13/14 to 25 in
15/16. The increase of 16+ entrants has been accompanied by an increase in the usage
of 16+ accommodation during the same period.
The number of children leaving care has stayed broadly static across all age bands
except for young people aged 18 or over. The number of children leaving care at this age
has reduced from 58 to 37. This is because fewer children turned 18 in 15/16.
If this trend of more, older young people entering care continues then the Trust will need
to re-focus more of its activity on supporting young people to develop the skills needed
for independence.
36
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Young People in Care with SEN
SEN
No
Yes
Apr
15
423
61
May
15
423
Jun
15
418
Jul
15
423
Aug
15
431
Sep
15
431
Oct
15
435
Nov
15
436
Dec
15
434
Jan
16
435
Feb
16
443
Mar
16
434
61
59
60
57
57
57
57
55
54
53
52
8
Commentary on Table 5 and Chart 9
The numbers of CIC identified as having SEN has been between 52 -61 throughout the
12 months to March 2016. More work should be undertaken to consider outcomes for
this group and ensure that their SEN does not unnecessarily inhibit these children’s
ability to thrive both educationally and socially. 9
8
9
Reference from Virtual Head
Internal Report Children Placed in Residential Care with SEN identified
37
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Placement Stability
10
Age Band
Long Term
Stability as at
31/03/2016
Under 1
1-4
5-9
10 - 15
16+
0
0
0
4
22
18
52
44
1
0
Male
Female
11
10
SSDA 903 2015-16
38
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
12
Commentary on Charts 11 and 12
Chart 10 shows that more than half of Children in Care in Doncaster have been in the
same placement for at least two years. Our performance has improved in 2016 and
now means the Trust are now in line with regional, national and statistical neighbour
averages.
Chart 11 shows that the number of children with three or more placements in a year
has been reducing significantly in recent years and at 2015 the Trust were performing
better than England and comparators. In 2016 the number of children with three or
more placements has slightly risen which means the Trust are currently performing in
line with England and comparators.
Together this data shows that whilst there are fewer instances of children being placed
inappropriately and the placement breaking down within a few months, there are still
significant numbers of placements that break down before two years.
Recent internal performance data shows that these indicators are improving and are
currently slightly better than the figures above from March 2016.
CIC with three or more placements in a year has averaged 9% in the 12 months to
March 2016. This compares favourably with national and statistical neighbour
averages from 2015 (10% and 9.3% respectively).
Chart 12 shows that a significant number of placements breakdown because the
carer(s) are unable to manage a child’s difficult behaviour. The Trust will work with
both in house and external providers to provide the nurturing and resilient care that
these children need.
11
12
SSDA 903 2015-16
SSDA 903 2015-16
39
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Current Provision
Commentary on Chart 13
In common with other areas, the majority of Children in Care in Doncaster are in a
foster placement (69%).
However, Doncaster makes proportionately less use of fostering (and consequently
makes greater use of residential) than England and statistical neighbour average
(74%). 13
Note that the residential figure used here includes other residential categories (such as
mother and baby unit or hospital setting).
13
SSDA 903 Performance Indicator Check 2015-16 page 1
40
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
14
14
LAIT June 2016 Children’s Services Finance
41
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Commentary on Charts 14 and 15
Chart 14 - The cost of fostering with an IFA is approximately £400 / week more
expensive than placing with an in house carer.
The cost between in house and private residential placements has risen in the past year
this is because we have substantially less children placed within our in house residential
placements.
This will improve as the Trust children’s home estate is further developed.
There may also be opportunities to reduce the cost of purchased residential care through
making block purchases via the White Rose Framework or working strategically with
suppliers to develop and run more local provision.
Chart 15 shows how the comparative costs of fostering in Doncaster are significantly
more expensive than regional, statistical neighbour and England averages. This is
primarily because of the high proportion of children laced with IFAs rather than with inhouse carers.
There is an opportunity for the Trust to bring down the unit cost of fostering through
recruiting additional carers and reducing the reliance on purchased care.
Fostering 15
15
SSDA 903 2015-16
42
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Commentary on Chart 16
Over half of all foster placements are made with foster carers who work for the Trust.
At 2013 national data showed that 69% of children in foster care were living in LA
Placements. This has now dropped to 56% at 2015. Yorkshire and Humber figure is
63% (although it should be noted that Trust figures somewhat distort this figure as all
Trust placements count as private provision), with 3 authorities being high, North East
Lincs (87%), North Lincs 80% and North Yorkshire 82%. 16
If the Trust performed in line with the regional average there would be an additional 39
out of 487 children in a foster placement in March 2016.
Foster placements
17
16
17
SFR 2015 Local Authority Tables LAA3
SSDA 903 2015-16
43
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Commentary on Chart 17 and Chart 18
The majority of children placed with Foster carers are aged 10 – 15 yrs. This is an age
group that we currently struggle to place with in house carers.
If we are to reduce this reliance on other IFAs we need to successfully recruit more inhouse carers who are able and want to work with the cohort.
Residential
44
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Commentary on Chart 19
There were 62 children in residential placements at the end of March 2016. This equates to
12.7% of all CIC. This figure only includes children’s homes (excludes other residential
categories such as mother and baby unit or hospital)
The national average is for 9.4% of CIC to be in residential placements. 18 For Doncaster this
would involve there currently being 16 fewer children in residential homes.
The Trust will be renovating and re-opening Pinewood and Amersall children’s homes in the
coming year and will also re-open Cromwell Drive as a four bed home. This will provide an
additional 12 in house residential beds and enable the Trust to significantly reduce its
dependence on private provision. To maximise the value of our residential estate we will aim
to maintain an average occupancy of 85% once all homes are open.
18
SFR34 Table LAA3
45
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
In-house residential
Commentary on Chart 20
19
There are 10 children in Trust (or council) homes. The majority of these children are
aged 10 or over. This is just under half compared to March 2015. This is because
Pinewood children’s home has been mothballed ready for renovation and Cromwell
Drive has been used edge the edge of care provision rather than a children’s home.
19
SSDA 903 2015-16
46
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Private residential
Commentary on Chart 21
There are 6220 children in private residential homes. Mostly these homes are outside
of Doncaster. The huge majority of these placements are of children over 10 (95%).
Whilst there will be a small number of children whose needs are so specialist that the
Trust cannot reasonably be expected to be able to meet their them; many of these
children could be placed in Trust homes if there was additional capacity.
There are 6 young people aged 16+ who are open to the Children’s with Disabilities
service and in residential. 3 of these young people have transferred to Adult Services
and there is a strong possibility that the other 3 may transfer once they reach the age
of 18.
20
SSDA 903 2015-16
47
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Percentage of Care Leavers in “suitable accommodation”
21
Commentary on Chart 22
Care leavers in suitable accommodation at 19 performance, was mostly strong until
2013 when care leavers aged 20 and 21 were included. DMBC had not tracked CL
beyond 19 so could not confirm they were in suitable accommodation.
This led to poor performance in 2014 with Doncaster in the bottom quartile with worse
performance than national, regional and statistical neighbour averages.
Since the Trust was established performance against this measure has improved
substantially with the Trust being better than the England average in 2015.
The figure for March 2016 shows 73.4% of care leavers (including 19, 20 and 21
years) are now in suitable accommodation. This figure is below the England average
and comparators. A focus on this since March has been effective and latest internal
data shows that 91% of care leavers are in suitable accommodation. 22
Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is less use made of supported accommodation
and more use made of group living than desired. This is an expensive way of meeting
the needs of care leavers and may not be the most effective way of supporting them to
develop independence skills. The Trust, with partners, has now established an
accommodation sub-group of the Multi Agency Looked After Partnership (MALAP) to
develop and improve accommodation options and pathways for CL.
21
22
SSDA 903 2015-16
June Monthly CIC Booklet page 31
48
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Children placed out of area
23
23
SSDA 903 2015-16
49
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Commentary on Chart 23 and 24
Doncaster has consistently placed a relatively high proportion of children outside the
local authority boundary and more than 20 miles from their homes.
In 2015 however performance of 14% was below Stat Neighbours and close to
England and Y&H averages but this was not sustained and has increased in 2016 to
17%. 24
There is evidence that while in some cases a distant or out-of-authority placement
may be the right decision for a child, for many children such placements are not in
their best interests. Children placed at a distance from home are likely to achieve
poorer educational and other outcomes than those placed within their home area.
The Trust will find it harder to act as an attentive corporate parent where children are
living far away. In general, children will be less likely to thrive if they are living well
away from their own communities. Apart from in very few cases, the further from
home a child is placed, the harder it is to maintain links with their family and for them
to return to their community when they leave school or care.
The reason for such a high proportion of Doncaster CIC being placed far away from
their homes is a combination of:
a) Insufficient local foster placements that can meet the needs of our children
b) Insufficient local residential places
Trust plans to increase the number of foster carers and residential places will improve
this measure.
24
SFR 2015 Local Authority Tables LAB1
50
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Adoption and Permanence
25
Commentary on Chart 25
Until recently Doncaster has mostly underperformed against this indicator when
compared with regional and statistical neighbours. However in 14/15 there were 37
adoptions, significantly above the England average.
Trust figures for the 12 months to 31/03/2016, show that 25% of children who left care,
left because of adoption. Based on 2015 data this would be above the England
average.
Usage of SGO has been strong in Doncaster over the past couple of years. In March
2014 Doncaster had the highest proportion of children ceasing to be looked after
because of an SGO in the region (19.1%). Doncaster was the 8th best performing area
in the country against this measure. This performance declined somewhat in 14/15
(14%) but SGOs are still being used where appropriate to enable children to have a
permanent home. Our performance is still higher than both Yorkshire and Humber at
12% and England at 11% for 14/15. There were also 63 children who began a long
term foster placement during 2014/15. More data is needed to be able to understand
how this compares with other areas and whether this constitutes an appropriate
proportion. 26
25
26
LAIT June 2016 – CIC Adoption and Performance Tables – Adoption 1 - % LAC Adopted in Year
SFR 2015 Local Authority Tables LAD2
51
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Outcomes
Education – Information provided by the Virtual school
There are many positive outcomes comparable with national, regional and statistical
neighbours. Doncaster are not in the bottom quartile for any outcome other than Fixed
Term Exclusion and EET 19+.
However, there are still improvements to be made in all areas to close the gap between
Doncaster CIC and their non CIC peers.
Exclusion and absence
Commentary on Chart 26
In 2016 there has been an increase in Fixed Term Exclusions of children in primary
school from 3.7% to 9%. There has also been a permanent exclusion of a child from a
primary school; the first in five years.
The overall level of Fixed Term Exclusions has risen to 16%. The rate for children
placed in Doncaster schools is 13% and it is 21% for those placed outside of the
Borough.
In total 242 days of education were lost because of exclusions.
52
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Absence
Overall absence in 2016 is unchanged from 2015 with just 16% of children in care
achieving 100% attendance.
15% of children in care are classed as having persistent absence (missing 15% of
lessons over a year).
Key Stage 2
% children achieving the age-related expectation by the end of Key Stage 2
Doncaster
2013
RWM Combined
National
2014
2015
2016
47
70
30
2013
Yorkshire and Humber
2014
2015
2016
48
52
53
2013
2014
2015
45
51
Reading
75
63
83
43
63
68
71
66
60
64
65
Writing
69
58
74
43
55
59
61
74
52
56
59
Mathematics
69
58
70
52
59
61
64
70
57
55
61
GPS
69
42
57
35
45
43
54
72
41
44
50
Note – 2016 scores are not comparable with previous years because of significant
changes to the curriculum and assessment measures. The 2016 figures provided show
children in care in Doncaster, compared with all children nationally.
Fisher Family Trust (FFT) estimates are used by schools to estimate and set targets for
pupil attainment, and can give an indication of whether a child has achieved outcomes
similar to their peers. This information has been used to benchmark the 2016 results.
FFT estimate of 50% for reading was not met (actual 43%)
FFT estimate of 45% for writing was nearly met (actual 43%)
FFT estimate of 55% for maths was nearly met (actual 52%)
53
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Key Stage 4
Doncaster
2013
English GCSE
Maths GCSE
5 A*-C inc. Eng. and
Maths
5 A*-C
2014
National
2015
2016
15
36
22
18
10
15
8.7
4
28
15
11
4
2013
37.2
2014
16.3
2015
Yorkshire and
Humber
2016
2013
2014
2015
13.8
14.6
10.5
14.4
18.3
38.9
14.2
19.3
5 GCSE A* - C
In 2016 4% of children achieved 5 A*-C including English and Maths. This is a reduction
of over 4% compared with 2015. Because absolute numbers of children are low (28
children) large percentage changes are possible with small changes in performance.
57% of children met or exceeded FFT estimates in English
25% of children met or exceeded FFT estimates in Maths
Changes since 2015 to the way KS4 performance is measured, has had some effect on
2016 figures. GCSE equivalent qualifications are no longer counted and only those who
gain an actual GCSE are now included. If these equivalent qualifications were still
included in performance figures, the figure for 5 A*-C would increase by 4%.
NEET / EET
54
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Chart 27 and 28 - Commentary on Care Leavers in EET
In 2014, DFE extended the measure of “care leavers in education, employment and
training” (EET) to include 20 and 21 year olds. This lead to a drop in performance for all
authorities, including Doncaster. However, in 2015 the proportion of 19 – 21 increased to
44%, which is just below national performance. A significant proportion of care leavers
who are not NEET are unavailable to the workplace and education due to illness,
disability or parenthood. 2728
27
28
SSDA 903 2015-16
LAIT June 2016 Looked after Children – Care Leavers EET
55
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Health
Health Assessments and checks
Annual health assessment
Up to date development
assessment (under 5s only)
Up to date immunisations
Teeth checked by a dentist
Doncaster
Stat Neighbour
England
Doncaster
Stat Neighbour
England
Doncaster
Stat Neighbour
England
Doncaster
Stat Neighbour
England
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
50.0
88.2
86.3
90.0
73.0
80.2
84.5
85.5
83.1
43.1
82.9
82.4
73.1
90.9
87.3
0.0
82.4
84.3
89.4
83.2
34.3
87.8
82.0
82.4
92.5
88.4
64.3
94.7
86.8
95.6
94.7
87.1
61.8
89.1
84.4
90.0
89.6
89.7
100.0
92.1
89.4
98.4
96.8
87.8
86.3
88.5
85.7
201516
94%
89%
99%
87%
Rates of completion of health, dental and immunisation checks improved in 2016 and are
now above national figures. Further work has been completed in 2015-16 to monitor
these checks and ensure that they are being completed in timescale. A particular issue
lies with Initial Health Assessments being completed within 20 working days of coming
into care. Paperwork requesting an assessment is often provided late resulting in a
delayed assessment. Work has begun to try and improve this and is being closely
monitored to ensure that performance improves. 29
29
SSDA 903 Performance Indicator Check 2015-16 – page 3
56
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Emotional health - SDQ
Doncaster
Total number of eligible children
Number of eligible children with an SDQ
score
Percentage of eligible children for whom
an SDQ score was submitted
Average score per
child
% Normal
Stat Neighbour
England
2014-15
2014-15
196
36,140
201213
230
201314
250
201415
271
201516
281
175
235
256
257
162
25,960
77.0
93.0
94%
91%
83%
72%
13.8
15.0
15.2
14.5
14.0
13.9
55.0
47.0
45%
44%
49%
50%
% Borderline
6.0
10.0
10%
14%
12%
13%
% Concern
39.0
43.0
41%
42%
38%
37%
Between 2013/14 and 2014/15 the average SDQ score in Doncaster increased from 15.0
to 15.2 compared with national and statistical neighbour averages of 14.
2015-16 figures for Doncaster have been provided from the annual return. Stat
neighbours and national figures are not yet available. Doncaster has a smaller
percentage of CIC SDQ scores that are borderline but significantly higher rates of SDQ
scores that cause concern (SN average 38%, Doncaster average 41%). There are also
6% of CIC who do not have an SDQ score recoded. 30
The work being done through the Local Transformation Plan to improve local
comprehensive CAMHS provision, includes a focus on LAC and is expected to improve
the ability of all Doncaster children’s services to promote good mental health in our
children.
30
SSDA 903 Performance Indicator Check 2015-16 – page 3
57
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Substance Misuse
More detailed information is being gathered. However, as part of the annual return to
DfE, 10 children in care (2%) were identified as having a substance misuse problem.31
Offending
Reducing the use of custody
The YOS set itself the target of reducing numbers of young people going to custody to
0.42 per 1000 of the 10-17 population.
Doncaster’s final 15/16 performance was a custody rate of 0.40 per 1000 of the 10 to 17
population.
Custody Rate / 1,000
Doncaster
North East
Region
South Yorkshire
England
April 15 – March
16
0.40
0.36
0.31
0.37
April 14 – March
15
0.70
0.50
0.52
0.44
Change
- 0.30
- 0.14
- 0.21
- 0.07
Whilst Doncaster still has a higher rate of custody than other areas, the rate of
improvement is substantially greater in the Borough than comparators. As Doncaster
sustains this performance, the gap with other areas will continue to close. We are on
track to be in line with national custody rates by 16/17.
The total number of custodial outcomes for April 2015 to March 2016 was 24, relating to
14 young people; 5 of these were in care.
31
SSDA 903 2015-16
58
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Reducing Re-offending
Available data for this measure is over 2 years old so is unlikely to reflect current
performance.
Both nationally and locally, the proportion of young people who re-offend has gone up.
This contracts with the overall picture in South Yorkshire, showing no rise in re-offending.
% of offenders who re-offend within 12 months
Doncaster
North East
Region
South Yorkshire
England
July 13 – June 14
36.50
39.00
35.20
37.70
July 12 – June 13
34.50
38.20
35.20
36.50
Change
+ 2.0
+ 0.8
0.00
+ 1.2
Although the rate of re-offending increased during this period, there was also an overall
reduction in the number of young people convicted.
During April 2015 to March 2016, 645 offences by 192 young people were considered by
the courts
These 645 alleged offences resulted in 208 orders being made in relation to 128 young
people. 20 of these young people were in care.
The creation of Team EPIC to target young people who are at risk of offending, will
substantially reduce first time entrants and therefore the possibility of re-offending.
Live data from 2016/17 indicates that over 60 young people have already been diverted
from the criminal justice system.
Children Missing from Care
In 2015-16, 159 children went missing from care, with 328 separate missing episodes.
Return interviews are completed for children who go missing a new contract for this
service has been in place since September 2015. A multi-agency group is in place to
review missing episodes with a list of the most high risk children brought to the attention
of the Protecting Vulnerable Young Peoples Group. This will include children who go
missing from care.32
32
March 2016 CIC Monthly Booklet page 18
59
LAC STRATEGY ACTION PLAN
OUTCOMES
KPI/BASELINE/
TARGET
SMART ACTION
OWNER
BY WHEN
EVIDENCE/DETAILED
STRATEGY
NF
February
2017
Evidence
WELL PLANNED SERVICE
Ensure outcomes for children are
improved through effective intervention
from multi-agency leaders and elected
members
Improvements in all
outcomes will be the
responsibility of CPB
Review TOR of Corporate
Parenting Board (CPB)
Ensure all members of CPB
understand and actively engage
in their role
Supported
by SM
CPB TOR work-plan and
minutes
Reports to CPB
Member engagement strategy
Deliver a forward plan for
Corporate Parenting Board
2 modern apprentice care
leavers sit on CPB
Deliver a member engagement
strategy
Develop Children in Care and
Care Leaver contribution to
Corporate Parenting Board
Further develop the elected member offer
through improved training offer, targeted
Total Respect training offer and
promotion of the Elected Member
engagement strategy
Improve outcomes for children by
ensuring all their care, educational and
health needs are met through an
improved integrated multi agency offer to
our children
60
To be developed
SM
April 2017
Training attendance
Improve core training offerinclude members information
leaflet
Total respect training
attendance
Develop targeted Total Respect
training for elected members
SM/TC
September
2017
Log of member activity to
support CiC
Develop strategy for promotion
of Elected member engagement
strategy
SM/NF
Improvements in all
outcomes will be the
responsibility of
MALAP
Use MALAP Membership to
develop and agree a strategy
and action plan based on
findings of the Sufficiency plan
MD/
Support and challenge event to
ensure we agree the right Multi
agency actions, that actions are
SMART and targets are
stretching
January 17
MALAP
Evidence
LAC Strategy
February 17
All members have contributed
to the action plan
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
MALAP to focus thematically on
the actions agreed to ensure we
hold each other to account
Improve outcomes for children through
ensuring the Voice of the child informs all
our work
See section 29
(right to a voice)
THE RIGHT TO FAMILY LIFE
1
Support children to remain safely in the
care of their family through effective early
intervention and edge of care services
Baseline
517 Children Looked
after 79.3 ratio per
10,000
Review of effectiveness of early
help and Edge of Care provision
to ensure decision making at the
point of entry into care is
appropriate and robust children
are supported to remain at home
wherever possible
RF
Review
completed 14-17
Detailed
strategy
developed by
1-9-17
Strategy in development
Safeguarding review of Edge
of Care provision to be
completed June 2017
HOS Thematic review of all
external placements – rag rated
for action
Monthly review in Service
Business Meeting
Commence In-house review in
June 2017
MD
March 2017
Evidence
Development of a specialist
foster carer post to work
alongside residential services
SM
Target
Improve on SN average
OF 493 within 18 months
470 children
Further develop Doncaster’s
reunification approaches
Undertake further analysis of
trends in UASC and migrating
families
2
Ensure children achieve permanence in
the right placement and where possible
move out of the care system through
improved HOS challenge
Baseline
85% of CIC with a plan
for permanence.
Tracker in place
Target:
Evaluation template
Permanence
considerations recorded
for 100% of CIC
following second review.
Routine reporting of
permanence status.
3
61
Ensure all children for whom a family
placement is appropriate have the right to
a family life through effective transition
Baseline
Numbers of children in
residential care have
December
2016
Evidence
Children’s Homes Plan
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
from children’s homes to family or foster
care
4
Reduce length of time in care through
effective and intensive family support
packages and timely transition to
adoption (including use of Early
Permanence)
remained stable over the
last year – peaking at 81
and currently 78
Target
to reduce to national
average rate this would
entail transition of 16
children
providing respite and emergency
care as well as a bridge into
fostering
Development of two further
specialist foster carers to
provide short term placements
for children at risk of tier 4
CAMHS placement or Remand
in Custody as well as support to
other foster carers and
residential staff with joint funding
from CCG and YTS
See foster care recruitment plan
Baseline
Adoption
12 EPP adoptions
Between January 2016
and January 2017
Target
To be agreed within the
RAA
5
Improve carer conversion rates to SGO
and adoption through development of
enhanced offer
Baseline:
Target
2017/18 30 carers
2018/19 32 carers
2019/20 35 carers

Development of RAA
aligning service to best
practice

All SY services to align
to best practice EPP
model

Appoint EPP champion
Develop information/referral
framework to ensure
consideration at legal gateway
Review and develop intensive
family support and reunification
packages

Development of RAA
aligning service to best
practice
SGO
SGO awards aligned to carer
progression – reducing costs
whilst allowing enhanced
payments to carers of most
complex children
THE RIGHT PLACE TO LIVE
62
August 17
SM
Adoption
24 Carers converted to
SGO in the last calendar
year, 14 of whom were
Connected person
Carers
Progress
Specialist carer commenced in
post and has provided support
to 6 children to date as part of
intensive support packages
RAA by
October 17
Evidence
RAA development plan and
Service delivery plan
Progress


RF
September
2017
SM
RAA by
October 17
All Carers of
children in
long term
foster
placement to
be asked to
consider
SGO by
October 17
EPP Champion
appointed
Champion to sit on
Legal Gateway Panel
Evidence
RAA development plan and
Service delivery plan
SGO Cabinet Member reports
Progress


RAA in development
phase service due to
transfer October 2017
Cabinet approval for
SGO proposal
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
7
N
e
w
1
Baseline
Ensure children have the opportunity to
have family life wherever possible and
appropriate to their needs through
improvement of the ratio of foster
placements to residential placement
through improved recruitment of in-house
foster carers and effective commissioning
of external provision
12.7% of children in care
live in a residential home
Target
Achieve the national
average of 9.4%
See also section 3
8
N
e
w
2
Improve our ability to influence positive
outcomes through fostering more
children in-house, especially those aged
10 or above. through development of a
progression scheme, improved website
and effective recruitment campaign –
aimed primarily at carers with proven
skills in working with children aged 10+
Baseline
August 16 159 children
with in house carers
Target
Jan 17 - 200 July 17 230
Jan 18 – 250
Baseline
August 16: 75 children
10 and over in in house
placements
Target
Refreshed fostering website
currently included in overall
Trust plans for improved web
presence via single content
management system.
Draft options paper for more
effective commissioning of
external residential placements
(as well as other LAC activity) is
currently under consideration by
Director PQI and will then go to
CX meeting for discussion and a
decision.





Develop foster carer
progression scheme
(Dec 2016)
Develop new identity,
web site and
associated materials
(Jan 17)
Launch new brand (Jan
17)
Develop Mockingbird
as the in house model
of support
Development of
specialist roles see
action 3
SM/JP
April 2018
part of the wider Fostering
recruitment and
communications plan.
Progress

SM
As per target
dates
63
Improve stability of foster placements
where child has complex behaviour
through improved foster care recruitment
and an improved training and support
offer (including further roll out of
Mockingbird)
Baseline
2 + year stability trend
line increase from 66%
July 15 to 75%
3 moves in year stable at
9%

Target training on
attachment skills and
managing complex
behaviour

Further develop
Mockingbird model
Provide intensive support to
In house recruitment
baseline improving in
both quantity and
quality of applications
Evidence
Benchmarked through
Fostering Network - See
recruitment action plan and
Annual report
Training calendar – enhanced
support for carers of children
over 10
Progress

Progression scheme
developed

January 17 199
children in in house
foster care

January 17 89
children over 10

January 17 17
potential carers in
stage 2 assessment
Challenges
Delay in website development
Jan 17 – 90
July 17 – 95
Jan 18 - 100
N
e
w
3
Evidence
SM
Training
program by
Jan 17
Mockingbird
development
plan April 17
Performance information –
contract measure
Mockingbird evaluation – inhouse and external
Progress
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
12% of older children
(12-17) experience 3 or
more moves
Target
January 17 – 2 year
stability 70%
January 17 – 3+ moves
remains stable at 9%
9% of older children (1217) experience 3 or
more moves
10
N
e
w
4
Ensure our children live in good quality
children’s homes in Doncaster wherever
possible through increase in the number
of children in in-house children’s homes
through implementation of the children’s
homes development plan
Currently 2 operational
homes with a capacity of
8 placements plus 1
emergency bed plan to
increase to 5 homes with
a capacity for 20
placements plus 1
emergency bed and
additional linked
fostering capacity
13
N
e
w
5
Retain the rating of good across all inhouse provider services and improve
provision to Outstanding
Baseline
Currently all children’s
homes are at least good
with one outstanding
Target
Maintain good rating
whilst placing more
children with complexity
and challenge
N
e
w
64
Improve the number of children placed in
Doncaster boundaries through
development of in-house resources as
Baseline – 17% of
children in care are
placed outside of LA

carers where placement at risk
Performance
information evidences
improving trend line
Evidence base for Mockingbird
through commissioned
University review - positive
See also actions under LAC
Health section

Develop specialist
emergency unit in TS

Move edge of care
service to nonresidential base with
respite provision from
foster carer

Change SOP for TS to
emergency and
assessment unit

Refurbish CD,PA,AH
Develop delivery model for all
homes as per MD (outstanding)

SM
April 2017
Evidence
See children’s homes
development plan
Progress

Emergency unit built
and operational

Assessment unit in
training and
development phase

CD in refurbishment
phase – manager and
core staffing identified
due to be operational
be Feb
PA and AH due to commence
refurbishment on Jan
All children’s homes
have individual SMART
action plans

HOS and Operations
Manager to audit one
child’s file per month at
each home
Reg 44 inspectors to be
supported to improve
understanding of regulatory
requirements
SM
Increase the number of
additional children’s home beds
in Doncaster by 20
SM/JP
On-going –
inspection
each home 2
x pa
Evidence
April 2019
Draft paper proposing options
for commissioning additional
external residential placements
See children’s homes
individual improvement action
plans
Progress
All homes good or outstanding
from a baseline in 2014 of
requires improvement
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
6
above and further development of the
commissioned offer
boundary and more than
20 miles from home.
Target – 12% by 2020
N
e
w
7
Ensure our children have stability and
support into adulthood from their
caregivers through raising the number of
children who remain in care until 18
Ensure all children who wish to remain
with their foster family after the age of 18
are supported to do so through provision
of a flexible staying put allowance
Ensure all children who wish to maintain
supportive relationship with their
children’s home staff are supported to
stay close or (for example where
relocating for university) to maintain
meaningful relationships at a distance
Baseline
62% children remain in
placement until aged 18
9 children are in staying
put arrangements
Target
70% of all children
remain until placement
until 18 and all children
who wish to remain post
18 are supported to do
so
is currently under consideration
by Director PQI and will then
go to CX meeting for
discussion and a decision.
Increase the number of foster
placements available in
Doncaster by 45
Review the staying put policy to
ensure the financial and
practical support offer to foster
carers enables carers to
continue to offer a home post 18
AH/SM
Develop a policy to support
existing good practice in inhouse children’s homes. Explore
this option in commissioning
arrangements
MT/JP
March 2017
Evidence
Staying Put Policy
May 2017
THE RIGHT SUPPORT - EDUCATION
14
Improve educational performance at
all Key stages


65
To improve tracking of progress and
attainment through termly PEPs
To demonstrates robust challenge to
partners to evidence the level of
support for each child, via the PEP,
NOVS and DT Annual report
Provisional
2015/16 (OC2
cohort)
@EYFS %achieving
a good level of
development 33%
@Year 1 %
achieving expected
level in Phonics :
75%
@ KS1 %
achieving expected
Level in Reading,
Writing and Maths:
38%
@KS2 %achieving
expected Level in
Baseline



All academy sponsors
meet with the lead
member and Directors
for Learning and
Opportunities and The
Trust to review school
practice in respect of
all indicators
All Doncaster
Secondary Academies
receive an annual
inclusion meeting to
plan and review action
plans to promote
achievement
As above: Rolling
programme for primary
schools; (highest
CH
Evidence
Minutes of meetings
Notes of Visit to Heads
and Governor.
Revised School Action
plans
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
Reading, Writing
and Maths: 30%

To improve consistency in PEP
quality to support close tracking of
need and progress; completion and
timeliness;
@ KS4
% achieving 5 good
GCSEs, including
English and maths:
4%
% achieving a good
GCSE in English
and Maths: 18%
Attainment 8 at
KS4: 2.78 (E)
Target:
At each key stage,
performance of
Children in Care is
at least in line with
national average for
CIC.
PEPS Target (see
PEP plan):
Currently @ 83%
100% of children in
key year groups
receive a PEP
meeting
95% children with
PEPs ;
75% PEPs graded
good or better
0% PEPS graded
66

population and in
Ofsted category below
good) (1 per month)
Analyse the impact of
current providers on
children’s educational
outcomes , especially
OOA KS4
See PEP plan
– improved system;
efficiency savings
- Simplified template
- Develop hierarchy
of challenge to
schools
/professionals

Review tracking of
school governors
attending DGov.
Training;
Analyse further
schools/staff/ other
professionals and action
further training.
100% Designated
Governors will receive
training bi annually and
provide evidence of
oversight (support and
challenge) for CIC
annually.
Rolling programme of
Training for social
All Designated Governors
of Doncaster schools will
have received training
Training programme/
tracking documents and
Evaluations.
Statutory plans and
PEPS to include joined
up, challenging targets
(outcomes) around
progress and attainment
in core subjects and
overall engagement in
wider learning and
participation.
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
15
Improve and maintain absence figures
-
All children should be on the roll
of a school (especially OOA)
within the statutory time frame
of 15 days to impact positively
on absence
SEN needs identified to support
attendance in school and reduce FTExlc.
inadequate
100% evaluations
demonstrate
understanding of
the role and how to
discharge the role
effectively
care/foster carers.
Multi- agency audit of
PEPS with broader
professionals
Baseline: 15/16
provisional figures
PA (40chn 15%)

10 compulsory
school age children
not on roll in the
time frame over
academic year in
Doncaster

Target:
Develop reporting
framework for CIC
on reduced
timetable
100% SEN
Assessment
process completed
within 20 days
100% consultation
process completed
within statutory
timeframe
95% on roll in in
statutory time frame
67




Review procedures
and time scales for
escalation of challenge
for non- compliance
and/or delay
Review Annex B
tracking docs to
sharpen analysis
related to
timescales/absence
Review procedures for
SEN process to
identify ‘sticking points’
and address e.g. dual
consultation
CiC and SEN to work
together to consider
and agree resource to
meet need
Review procedural
checklist for PEP
meetings to ensure
focus on SEN needs;
amend DT training as
required
Include focus on SEN
needs of individuals
during data tracking
meetings (stage of
CH/SD/HB
Commissioning
For children with a
statutory plan (Statement
or EHCP) issued by the
LA, the process set out in
16 applies and seeks to
minimise absence from
education.
Revised procedures
(shared with all partners)
Revised checklist and
training
Statutory plans and PEPS
are joined up and that
provisions enable
progress to be made
against long, medium
and short term outcomes.
Outcomes must reflect
learning, participation,
social communication,
physical and EH Well
Being.
Wherever possible there
should be a joint
SEN/LAC review at least
annually to ensure
holistic review and
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
process esp. SEMH
needs and actions
required)
Review commissioning
process for children with
SEN / no SEN placed
OOA
16
Improve SEN consultation process
Baseline:
100% of new EHCs
issued within timescale
Target
Maintain performance of
100% Assessment
process completed
within 20 days, report
on timescales for CIC

Review procedures for SEN
process to identify ‘sticking
points’ and address

Review procedural checklist
for PEP meetings to ensure
focus on SEN needs;
amend DT training as
required
Include focus on SEN needs of
individuals during data tracking
meetings (stage of process esp.
SEMH needs and actions
required)
forward planning.
CH
Revised checklist and training
SEND Code of Practice 2015
to be followed in terms of
consultation with settings and
the requirement for statutory
letters and to allow a maximum
15 day response time. Social
Care/ CiC to work with SEN
Team to inform the
commissioning process. 2014
LAC Guidelines to be taken
into account when considering
appropriate SEN placement in
the context of the quality of
SEN provision as well as the
overall OFSTED judgement
Procedure and reporting on twin
tracking of consultation for
admission and child on roll
within 15 day statutory time
frame
17
Improve outcomes for children in care
who are SEND or who have an EHCP
Baseline:
to be developed,
including benchmarking
intelligence to support
effective target setting
Target:
to be developed
68
Analyse the impact of
current providers on
children’s educational
outcomes
Review commissioning
process for children with
SEN
Revised procedures (shared
with all partners)
CH/HB
Commissioning
Settings and services to
ensure that statutory plans and
PEPs are joined up and that
provision enables progress to
be made against individual
long, medium and short term
outcomes. Outcomes must
reflect learning, participation,
social communication, physical
and emotional health and
wellbeing. Wherever possible
there should be a joint
SEN/LAC review at least
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
annually to ensure holistic
review and forward planning.
THE RIGHT TO A POSITIVE TRANSITION
11
Improve the care leaver accommodation
offer through development of a social
enterprise scheme to provide care leaver
led tenancy support scheme and
development of the commissioned offer
The variety of care leaver
accommodation options available to care
leavers is limited and does not cover the
spectrum of need. The quality of floating
support available to care leavers is
variable and the creation of a floating
support service , within a social
enterprise framework, will assist in
reducing costs and increasing quality
once the range of provision is increased
Baseline

76% of Care Leavers in
suitable accommodation,
national figure of 83%

82% 19-21 year old Care
leavers that we are in
regular contact with
(2016), national figure of
89%

Target
No care leaver on
intentionally homeless
pathway
85% of care leavers in
suitable accommodation
90% of 19-21 year old
care leavers we are in
regular contact with



12
T
69
Improve the quality and range of
supported accommodation through
effective needs led commissioning
Meet with St Leger
Assistant Directors and
HOS to highlight scope
of problem and action
required by 31.01.17
Redesign pathway for
care leavers into
accommodation and
remove care leavers
from homeless pathway
by 28.02.17
Meet with DMBC adult
commissioning team to
discuss and revise
existing commissioned
provision support for
care leavers by
31.03.17
Undertake review of
needs analysis of
existing cohort and
provide report on new
provision which needs
to be created by
30.04.17
Launch new pathway
and provisions,
including revised
access to existing
commissioned
provisions such as the
Foyer 31.05.17
Launch floating support
company, within social
enterprise framework
31.07.17
Undertake needs analysis of
young people requiring
supported accommodation
AH
As per
designated
dates

Revised pathway
policies and
procedures

Reduction to zero in
number of care
leavers having to
access homelessness
pathway

Zero cases where the
term “ Intentionally
homeless” is applied
 Increased range of
provision, including
supported housing
Care Leavers floating
supporting company registered
at companies house and
delivering support by summer
2017
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
19
Reduce the number Care Leavers who
are NEET. 65% EET April 2017

Baseline
2016: 36% Care Leavers
aged 19-21 were EET,
national performance of
49%
Target
50% of 19-21 year old
care leavers in EET
Produce strategy to
increase EET’s
focussing on key IAG
outcomes and targeted
work with long term
NEET’s by August
2016

Implement strategy and
monitor outcomes with
emphasis in individual
case level activity
reviewed at weekly
meeting attended by
HOS August 2016

Undertake
segmentation exercise
of NEET caseload to
target those care
leavers who are able to
work, rather than those
who have alternate
status ( claiming ESA,
child under 2, in
custody) by January
2017

Revise EET strategy to
deliver outcomes to
remaining NEET cohort
February 2017
 Develop partnership
training programmes
specific for care leavers
March 2017
Achieve EET rate of 65% for all
care leavers available to work by
April 2017 and understand
issues which have impacted on
those not able to work and
develop strategy to prevent
occurrences in future cohorts
where possible
THE RIGHT SUPPORT - HEALTH
70
AH

EET rate reporting
65% or higher by April
2017

Creation of new
bespoke training
programmes with
partners, which
demonstrate
effectiveness through
sustained EET
outcomes
Analysis of cohort, with
reference to those not able to
work, i.e ESA, in Custody,
Child Under 2 leads to
development of prevention
strategies, which reduce care
leavers presenting with similar
characteristics in future cohorts
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
20
Ensure the health needs of our children
are understood and acted upon through
Improvement in the completion of and
timeliness of IHNA’s and RHNA’s
Baseline
IHNA’s – (age 5 to 19)
completed in timescale –
11%omplet
CIC with up to date HA
(2016): 94%, national
figure 90%.
Target
CIC with up to date HA
(2016) maintain
performance of 94%.
22
Improve the emotional health and
wellbeing of LAC and care leavers
Baseline
Average SDQ score
2016 14.9
% over 17 45%
Target
Review administration
processes in completion of IHNA
requests
Commission new IHNA service
provider
NL
New service has been
commissioned with the Scott
Practice. This began at start of
January and gives greater
capacity for completing IHA’s.
We would expect to see
timeliness improve significantly
No action plan required for in
authority RHA’s as KPI met.
Out of area RHA’S:
Each DCST area to forward
request for OOA RHA’s 8 weeks
prior to due date.
Develop the CAMHS offer in
partnership with CCG and
RDASH or other providers
LG
Work in partnership to:
LG/SM/P
W/CH
Average SDQ score
2016 13.5
% 0ver 17 38%
Improve outcomes for children who pose
a challenge and have excessive
placement moves as a result of their
experience of abuse, trauma and neglect
To be developed



Undertake a ‘deep dive’
to further evaluate need
Seek lessons learned
Establish a joint
programme of support
for those children most
at risk
Deep Dive
June 2016
Joint
programme
of support
September
2017
THE RIGHT SUPPORT - OTHER OUTCOMES
23
Decrease the numbers of CIC and Care
Leavers in the Criminal Justice system
Care leavers are over represented in the
criminal justice system both nationally
and locally. Over 90% of adult care
leavers IN Doncaster with convictions
71
Baseline
5% current CIC have a
conviction
Target
Reduce to National
average 4%

Undertake granular
analysis of all CIC’s
becoming firs time
entrants in 2016/17 and
analyse whether their
status as a CIC directly
or indirectly contributed
to them becoming
FTE’s. Develop
AH


Percentage of CIC’s
and Cl’s becoming
FTE’s reduces by
20% on 2014/15
cohort by March 2018
CIC’s and CL’s
currently in the youth
justices system do not
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
received their first conviction as children
24
72
Decrease the number of children who go
missing from care by Improving the
support offer
The Return Home Interview contract
previously held by DMBC ceased on 30
Nov. From 1 Dec this statutory activity is
strategy for 2017/18
Youth Justice Plan to
address identified
deficits in offer to CIC’s
and care Leavers

Instigate policy at PSR
stage that any CIC
appearing at Court for
an offence in their care
home of gravity 3 or
lower is automatically
recommended for a an
absolute or conditional
discharge based on the
nature of the offence.

Undertake analysis or
all CIC and care
leavers currently within
the YJ system with a
view to implementing
additional interventions
( such as DBT) that
prevent further
offending and take
them out of the criminal
justice system before
adulthood by March
2017

Ensure that all CIC and
care leavers are
prioritised and reviewed
in the live tracker
monitoring of the cohort
by March 2017
Develop and publish premium
service offer for all CIC are care
leavers in the 2017/18 Youth
Justice Plan
Baseline - prior to
implementation of new
service as at
30.11.2016
% of children who had a
return home interview =
58%


Increase in visits
completed within 72
hours (stat guidance)
Reduce future incidents
of missing episode
through better coordination and sharing
go ion to re-offend as
often or with greater
seriousness
Publication of a premium
service offer in the Youth
Justice plan 2017/18
PT
The RHI transferred, as
planned on 1 Dec from DMBC
to DCST. Monthly monitoring
information is gathered and
discussed at monthly
performance meetings. An
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
now provided in house in DCST by the
independent advocates service with a
view to improving the service children
receive and provide a high standard of
quality and compliance to fulfilling
statutory duties
25
Decrease the number of children and
care leavers at risk of CSE or sexually
harmful behaviour through embedding
the support offer
% of return home
interviews carried out
within 72 hours = 48%
Average number of
looked after children
missing per month = 17
Target
% of children who had a
return home interview =
75%
% of return home
interviews carried out
within 72 hours = 75%
Average number of
looked after children
missing per month = <10
Baseline
11 CiC currently open to
CSE specialist team as
lead or co-worker
CIC identified as posing
a risk – to be developed
Target


of information between
professionals.
Provide quality RHI
reports to allocated
social workers so there
is a better
understanding of the
lived experience of the
child and risk they face
Improve the
identification of those
children most at risk
and escalate when
necessary.
initial meeting is planned to
take place on 27 Jan 2017 to
review the first months activity.
CSE service embedded in
Doncaster
Service currently provided to
children who pose sexually
harmful behaviour embedded –
contract to be reviewed
Business case to be written re:
Embedding of Empower and
protect service
LS
Introduce Outcomes Tracker by
December 2016
JP
JP
SM
Currently improving
referral and allocation
processes. Target to be
established after this.
27
Monitor and support progress through
use of improved Individual Placement
Agreements and Outcomes Trackers
Baseline – no tracking of
outcomes for children in
care is routinely
undertaken by the Trust
Outcomes Tracker used for 75%
of children in care by April 2018
Outcomes Tracker used for
100% of children in care by April
2019
The information within
Outcomes Trackers will be
73
April 2018/19
Outcomes tracker is currently
being used by IROs as part of
preparation for LAC reviews.
This will be embedded further
during 17/18 and will be used
with all children in care by April
2019.
Individual Placement
Agreements are not an
effective way of supporting
personalised care and the
existing care planning process
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
shared with the Contracts team
for use in contract management
of placement providers.
is considered sufficient to
achieve this.
THE RIGHT TO A VOICE
28
Improve feedback mechanisms for all
CIC
Baseline
CIC council 14
regular attendees
Mockingbird group –
20 fostering families
Young Advisors – 5
regular advisors
IV youth club
Fostering Youth
Club
2 MA’s working for
Trust
Care Leaver
representation on
CPB



Target
Further develop
Care Leaver’s
Council
Young CIC
Quarterly question
responses
.
74


All CiC to be seen
PT
and spoken to on a
regular basis by
their social worker
and provided with
opportunities to
discuss and
contribute to the
plans for their care
IROs to ensure
they speak with
children about and
provided with
opportunities to
discuss and
contribute to the
plans for their care
Increase the use of
the MoMo app
Increase the
attendance at the
CiC Council
Increase the
awareness of the
advocate service to
CiC and referrals to
this service
Weekly and monthly
performance information
identifies when children
are seen by their social
worker.
Monthly and thematic
audit activity evaluates
the quality of the social
worker and IROs
interactions with the
child.
A survey took place
during the summer of
2016 to evaluate the
experience of children in
using the MoMo app. The
findings contributed to
the re-commissioning of
the service but also
identified an number of
areas for development. A
plan is in place to take
forward these areas for
improvement
The Voice Group has
been established to coordinate the various
services that the Trust
delivers in regard to
participation and
engagement with CiC.
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
The group meet monthly
and is chaired by a HoS
to ensure a coherent plan
is in place to coordinate
and drive forward
participation and
engagement activity
29
Embed the Voice Strategy
CiC have the
opportunity to
contribute to and
influence the
development and
delivery of services





75
Voice Group to
coordinate drive
forward
participation and
engagement
activity.
Children and
young people are
involved in the
recruitment of staff
and foster carers
Increase
participation of
care leavers to
influence decision
making and service
delivery
Completion and
launch of a looked
after children
pledge that reflects
the involvement of
CICC
Participation
understanding,
involvement, and
improved practice
amongst Trust staff
and foster carers
PT
Evidence
Participation strategy
Voice group minutes
Evidence log of work and
impact
Work of CiCC
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020





76
Corporate
Parenting
Corporate
Parenting Board
and MALAP are
more directly
influenced by
young people’s
feedback
Ensure children in
care know who
senior managers
and leaders are
and can meet them
Improve
communication
with all children
who receive a
service
Develop a range of
Voice champions
across the Trust
and partner
agencies to
promote the voice
and rights of all
children in all work
undertaken with
children and
families across
Doncaster
Provide assurance
of impact for
children to the
Trust, Trust Board
and DMBC on
Voice Group
Doncaster Children’s Services Trust
Looked After Children Sufficiency Plan and Strategy 2017-2020
activities
77